The Green Bay Packers emerged from their preseason opener against the Browns in Cleveland relatively unscathed after a 23-10 win, with rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd’s hamstring ailment the only injury announced by the team.
Quarterback Jordan Love barely saw the field after the new $220 million man hit second-year receiver Dontayvion Wicks for a 65-yard touchdown three plays in to open the scoring.
Here’s more on that play and nine other things I took away from Green Bay’s first of three exhibition games.
1. So much for Love’s deep ball still needing work. I kid, because it could use some refining based on what we’ve seen in camp. But his strike to Wicks was certainly a good sign. Veteran safety Rodney McLeod Jr. chose to help safety Grant Delpit cover receiver Jayden Reed on a crossing route to the left side of the field, which left Wicks one-on-one with safety Ronnie Hickman down the right side after Wicks faked left and beat him from just inside the numbers. Love put it on him and Wicks did the rest to give the Packers a 6-0 lead and the starters the rest of the afternoon off.
“We had a great play dialed up for that situation,” Love said. “One-on-one with Wicks in the slot, faking the handoff and he ran a great route, kind of lulled him to sleep at the top and then was able to go past him. (I) just put the ball out there for him and he made the rest happen. Great play by him.”
Didn’t take long for Jordan Love @Packers take an early lead!
: Stream #GBvsCLE on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/yyJlhvP170
— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2024
2. Second-year defensive end Lukas Van Ness makes at least one standout play most days in camp. On Saturday, he made a couple more as he continues to show why the Packers used a first-round pick on him last year. Not only did Van Ness finish off a sack aided by defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt’s initial pressure early in the game, but Van Ness had two tackles for loss against the run on consecutive plays later in the first quarter. One on second-and-2 and another on third-and-3 to set up a fourth-and-4 that Cleveland failed to convert. He also ran a twist against guard Javion Cohen to pressure quarterback Tyler Huntley, which led to a sack by defensive tackle Colby Wooden. Van Ness played about 33 percent of the defensive snaps as a rookie, but he should see an increased role behind Rashan Gary and Preston Smith and is one of the players eager to rush with his hand in the dirt in defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s new scheme.
3. Another player who carried his strong camp performances to the first preseason game was wide receiver Grant DuBose. The 2023 seventh-round pick out of UNC Charlotte missed the offseason program and the beginning of camp last year with a back injury and spent the season on the practice squad. This offseason, he trained with Reed and Wicks in South Florida and has been healthy and productive since returning to Green Bay.
DuBose led the Packers on Saturday with five catches for 66 yards and also drew a defensive holding penalty deep downfield on third-and-8 to give the team a first down. Arguably his most impressive grab came when he deftly dragged both feet inbounds near the left sideline for a 23-yard completion from backup quarterback Sean Clifford to the 28-yard line, putting Green Bay in field goal range with 10 seconds left in the first half.
“Grant’s been putting out some great tape,” Clifford said. “All our receivers have, but it’s great to see Grant, especially after last season with his injury and everything. I thought he was able to put out some really good tape. The catch on the sideline was fantastic. Him dragging his toe. Very, very happy for Grant.”
DuBose figures to be competing for the sixth wide receiver spot with Malik Heath and Samori Toure, though it might be special teams and blocking ability that will do more for him in pursuit of a roster spot than his pass-catching prowess. Speaking of those, DuBose helped pave the way for running back Emanuel Wilson’s 5-yard score when he motioned inside and attacked cornerback Tony Brown II, a former Packer, while Wilson muscled his way in behind him.
“I sat the whole last year,” DuBose said. “This offseason was pretty good for me. I just wanted to take advantage of it. It’s not anything fairly new to me. I always had to sit and wait for my number to be called. I think that it’s made me and built me for these type of moments. Like I said, I just wanted to take advantage of it — and I feel like I did some good things today.”
.@1kEmanuelWilson scores from five yards out!#GBvsCLE pic.twitter.com/Pw9ZgDVIFg
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 10, 2024
4. It wasn’t the best afternoon for running back AJ Dillon and wide receiver Bo Melton. Dillon had 2 yards on four carries, though his blocking did him few favors. The Packers faced a second-and-1 and ran Dillon three straight times without moving the chains and turning the ball over on downs. Not good for anyone involved.
Melton had three drops, though his first two were on balls thrown slightly behind him by Clifford. His clear drop came when third-string quarterback Michael Pratt ripped a short pass in the red zone on third-and-2 for what would’ve been a first down. The ball bounced off Melton’s chest and popped up, fortunately for the Packers falling to the ground but forcing them to attempt a field goal instead of having a first-and-goal. Melton also fumbled the handoff from Clifford on a jet sweep. He recovered and still gained 4 yards, but the fumble caused him to backtrack a couple of yards on the play.
5. Rookie second-round pick Javon Bullard started alongside Xavier McKinney at safety, but it was rookie fourth-round safety Evan Williams making yet another standout play in what has been a camp full of them for the Oregon product. He’s tied for the team-high this summer with four interceptions in practice (cornerback Eric Stokes also has four), and his forced fumble to start the second half Saturday added another notch in his belt for what has been and should continue to be an intriguing battle for the starting spot next to McKinney.
Coach Matt LaFleur told sideline reporter Ashley Washburn at halftime that he wanted a defensive takeaway, and Williams knocked the ball loose from running back John Kelly Jr. on the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter before linebacker Kristian Welch recovered it.
“We just talked about the importance of getting the ball back in the locker room,” Williams said. “We always go over that in practice and just during the play, it was a little screen pass, dump down. Just saw a clear path and thought, ‘OK, I’ll probably be the one making this play.’ I put my shoulder in a good spot. I think my arm and shoulder combo was able to knock it out. I saw the ball come out. I tried to leap on it but saw another green jersey on it and celebrated with the guys.”
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6. Based on the starting lineup, veteran Andre Dillard looks to have the edge on Kadeem Telfort and Caleb Jones for the Packers’ swing tackle job. With regular starting right tackle Zach Tom not playing since he just returned to team drills following his rehab of a torn pectoral, Dillard started at right tackle. The 2019 first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles began camp at that spot, but he was replaced by Telfort after a couple of days. It has been an ongoing battle to see which of the three can best provide insurance for Tom and left tackle Rasheed Walker.
7. Perhaps the play that will get the most praise in the film room was Wilson’s 23-yard run up the left side in the third quarter. However, it won’t be Wilson, though impressive on the play in breaking cornerback Justin Hardee Sr.’s ankles, getting the biggest pat on the back. Watch closer and you’ll see Pratt run around the left edge and past Wilson upfield before driving his throwing shoulder into safety Chris Edmonds as the lead blocker. I’m not sure if LaFleur will dream about the play or have nightmares that his rookie quarterback can’t throw because he delivered too hard of a block.
A sneaky move by @1kEmanuelWilson for the first down and then some
: Stream #GBvsCLE on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/Ull9c03s2c
— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2024
8. Cornerback Jaire Alexander was the only one of 12 DNPs not due to injury. Alexander was excused because of a personal matter.
9. Kickers Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph weren’t tested too much, with each making an extra point, Carlson going 2-for-2 on field goals from 46 and 33 yards and Joseph making his lone field goal attempt from 35 yards.
10. Love said it would be nice to play more in the preseason after seeing only three snaps on Saturday, but LaFleur said at least most of the starters won’t play next Sunday in Denver against the Broncos. Instead, LaFleur said, he’ll use Friday’s joint practice to give the starters those valuable reps.
(Photo of Jordan Love: Jason Miller / Getty Images)
